Rumors
by dabbling
Summary: How did Goren get hurt? Did Eames really throw him too hard practicing restraints with him? Or was something else going on? Logan gets hired to find out.


Rumors

"You're kidding, right?"

"No, Logan, I'm not! I mean, you owe me. You denying that you owe me?" Winters gave him a stern glare as he said it.

"No, I'm not denying. I lost the bet and I told you I'd pay up, but man, business has been slow. I can't afford that kind of cash right now. You know I'm good for it."

"I know you are, but I don't want cash now. I want you to do the job for me."

Mike Logan shook his head. He didn't like the sound of this at all. "Look, I can't do this. They know me! I can't exactly hang around the neighborhood without being noticed."

"So then walk right in and ask 'em straight out what happened, I don't care. Just find the hell out for me."

Logan frowned and took a deep breath. Then, his eyes like coals, he stared at Detective Winters. "Why?"

"Why not? What do you care, you're clearing a bet."

Logan rubbed his hand against his pants leg and looked out the window of the diner at the rainy street outside. "I'd just… like to know what you're gonna do with the information."

"I'm gonna sit back and smile because I know their shit."

"That's it."

"That's it."

"Just 'cause you want to know."

"The satisfaction of it."

"What if the truth isn't what you're hoping?"

"What do you think I'm hoping for, Logan?"

Mike shook his head once again. "You know, all the damned rumors flying around Major Case. Hell, all of 1PP for that matter. You're hoping—"

"Look, do the job or pay up. I gotta get back to work."

"Fine. Sure. All right. I'll do it."

Winters smiled, stood and shook Logan's hand. Logan put his fists on his hips as he watched his former colleague walk away. He opened his right hand and wiped it against his jeans, shaking his head again. "Fuck," he muttered under his breath.

* * *

"How's Goren doing?" Captain Hannah asked, paused at Eames' desk.

She felt the tension in her gut, but she kept it from showing on her face. "Last I heard, he was down for the count."

"Geez, can't they do anything for him?"

She shook her head. "He said they told him to lie flat and wait for it to work itself out."

Hannah shook his head. "Damn shame. You gonna see him?"

Again, she tensed up. She thought carefully about her reply. "Yeah, I'm gonna go over and you know, bring him some dinner."

"Give him my best," said the Captain.

"I'll do that," she said, and added, "sir." She watched him walk to his office and finally exhaled. Her phone gave a little jolt and she picked it up.

_You busy?_ The text message read.

Alex typed back quickly. _Kinda. U OK?_

_IDK. I guess._

_Tell me, Bobby._

_ I'm bored._

Her worry melted away and she smiled a little. _Bored you can handle._

_ I can't reach the remote._

_ B, you have to get up sometimes._

_ Hurts._

Now her smile faded a little, replaced by a twinge of guilt. _Sorry. I'll be there after work. _She went back to checking the emails on her computer screen and then realized he hadn't texted back. Alex's fingers flew over the keypad on her phone again. _Goren?_

_ I'm OK. CU later._

_ OK._

She put the phone down once again and went back to work.

* * *

Logan started by calling some old buddies in the department, just to find out what exactly the rumors were. So far, he knew Goren was out on medical leave because he hurt his back. It happened off-duty last Saturday night. Eames may or may not have been with him when it happened.

That was the tidbit that was inspiring the rumors. So far, he'd heard that Goren tripped while walking her to her door; that Goren had been helping her move some unknown piece of furniture and threw his back out; that they'd been in the middle of a roll in the hay and his aging body couldn't keep up; and that she had thrown him particularly hard while practicing physical restraint techniques.

"Well, whattayou think, Julio?" Mike asked.

"Look, Logan, I try not to feed the monster, you know what I'm sayin'? I believe in karma, man. Soon as I share my thoughts with you, somebody's gonna stir up something about me, and next thing you know, I'm in the doghouse with my wife. No thank you."

"It will never leave my lips. On my honor."

"Look, I'm not saying anything. But you know, what do you think? Of all those scenarios, what do you really think Goren was doing?"

"Shit, I don't know, he might have bent over to pick up a quarter off the sidewalk."

"Exactly. And who cares if Eames was with him? She spends most of her time with him anyway, on the job."

"Thanks for nothing, buddy."

"Take care of yourself, Mike." They shook hands and Logan put his hands in his pockets as he walked down the hall. His visitor badge was smacking rhythmically against his t-shirt. He passed a door on his right, stopped suddenly, and then went back to it. Logan knocked as he stepped inside.

"I'll be damned," the feminine voice was so smooth and sexy that he broke into a sweat.

"Hello, Jill."

"Mike Logan. The ghost of Christmas past. What brings you around to haunt me?"

"Oh, Baby, don't be that way. You knew it was just for kicks."

"Better watch out, I might kick back this time."

Mike stepped closer, but turned a little to protect his jewels, just in case. He put his lips close to her ear. "I'd be willing," he whispered to her diamond stud earring.

She blushed and cocked her head. Then she growled a little and bolted away from him. Jill MacMahon leaned against her office door and turned the lock behind her back. "I don't know."

Mike grinned. She was as beautiful as ever, even if she had put on a few pounds. Her breasts were rounder now, and he could see he was having an effect on her.

"Look, I've got a lot of work to do," she stammered. "I don't have…" She stepped boldly forward and put the palm of her hand against his ribs. "…much time."

Mike grinned and lowered his lips to hers. "I'll make it quick," he said, and kissed her again. As his hands slipped around her waist, he knew it wouldn't take long before he was ready.

"Where have you been all this time?" she asked him, breathing heavily between kisses.

"P.I. work." His mouth slurped against her hot lips. "Keeps me busy. Gotta pay the bills, you know?"

"I miss you, Logan." Her hand slipped down and he groaned with need.

"I miss you too, Jill." For all of fifteen minutes, they gropes and fondled each other. Mike met her every need, and afterward, they lay in a crumpled heap of half-removed clothing on the floor, panting peacefully.

"So… you heard anything about Bobby Goren?" Mike asked, his fingers gently swirling over a loose curl at her neck.

"Bobby? Why are you asking?" She was still relaxed, but she eyed him with suspicion.

Mike shrugged. "I heard he and Eames, uh… you know."

"Mike, you didn't just give me a quickie to get information out of me, did you?"

"No, Babe, of course not. Jill. C'mon. I missed you."

She didn't seem to believe him at first, but then he kissed her earlobe, and his fingers moved gently over her once again. "Well, actually, I heard they were an item."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. And not the usual source, you know?"

"Really. Who was your source?"

"You remember Frankie the Finger?"

"Uh… no."

"You don't remember Frankie?"

"Well, no. Does it matter?"

"No, I guess not. Well, anyway, he's this informant that Susie Caldwell likes to use, and she was saying that Goren used to give her the eye every time he saw her in one of her scoop top sweaters, and she said that the last time, he was with Eames, and he blew right by her without even noticing."

"Scoop top sweaters?"

"Tight fitting. And you know Susie, she's got some mangoes, right?"

"Yeah."

"And Goren, he likes that."

"Every man likes that."

She pouted for a moment. "Oh?"

"I like mangoes any way they come," he said, and gave hers a squeeze just to illustrate his point. "What's Frankie got to do with it?"

"Somehow he found out Goren hadn't noticed Susie, and he told her that he saw Goren pinch Eames on the ass before he got into the SUV."

"Okay, so he thinks they're intimate."

"Yeah. Wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, okay… maybe." Jill shifted and started to put her shirt back on. Mike helped her with the buttons. "Poor guy. How'd he get hurt?"

"You'd have to ask Eames, I guess."

"I couldn't ask her. It would be… weird, you know? I've been away for so long, and why should I care anyway?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She stood up and straightened the rest of her clothing. Then she offered him a hand up and he did the same. Mike reached out and combed her hair with his fingers, giving her an easy smile.

"Well, what hospital did he go to?"

"Huh?"

"You know, when it happened."

"Oh, uh… Urgent Care on Woodson. You know, over near his place. My cousin Sean works over there. He calls every time he finds out a cop got hurt, no matter how it happened. Paranoid, you know?"

Mike gave her a grand smile. He reached in and kissed her deeply. "You take care of yourself, Jill. I'll call you."

She pouted again. "No you won't, Mike. Don't lie."

He looked almost hurt by her remark.

"But thanks for brightening up a rainy afternoon!" She squeezed his bicep and kissed him on the cheek. Then Jill MacMahon unlocked her office door and sent him on his way.

Mike turned back once to give her a wink before he left.

* * *

Urgent Care was a little busy. People seemed to find lots of ways to get hurt or sick on a rainy day. Mike paced by the front door, alternately staring at the drizzle and looking back at the reception desk.

"You lookin' for me?" A young man asked.

"Sean MacMahon?"

"Yeah, and you are?"

"Mike Logan. I'm a friend of Jill's. We used to work together at NYPD."

Sean shook his hand. "Tough job."

"Yeah, so's yours."

Sean smiled. It was nice to hear someone respected what he did.

"Listen, an old buddy of mine came through here last Saturday night. Jill said you knew about it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, name's Robert Goren?"

"I can't discuss patients, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course. I just wondered how he got hurt. Been hearing all kinds of wild stories."

Sean sighed and looked away, trying to remember.

"Big, tall guy. Stockier than me. Gray curly hair, cut short. Hurt his back."

"Oh yeah."

"Did he tell you how it happened? Moving or something?"

"No, the guy was really hurting. He didn't say much at all. But the woman, she answered for him."

"Woman? Short? With long straight hair?"

"Yeah, that's her."

"Eames."

"Yeah, I think he called her that."

"Well, what did she say?"

"Uh, that he fell or something. I don't know." Sean knitted his brows together. "Say, Jill's not trying to stir up something, is she?"

"Oh, no, no. I'm just curious. Thanks for your time." Mike took two steps away and then turned back. He held up one finger. "Fell, like tripped? Or stumbled? Or what?"

"Uh, I think he fell of the bed."

"The bed?"

"Yeah, that's what she told us."

"Thanks, Sean."

* * *

It was still raining when Alex finally found a parking spot on the street around the corner from Bobby's building. She stared at the rain on the windshield and sighed. Then she fastened the buttons on her coat and mentally counted to three before racing around to the passenger side of the car to retrieve their dinner.

Alex grabbed the sack containing the take-out and then grabbed her purse. She locked the car and bolted down the sidewalk, splashing in puddles along the way.

She slowed once she was inside his building and walked the rest of the way up, still panting from her sprint. She set down the sack and rooted through her purse for his key. Then Alex opened the door.

Bobby looked as though he was right where she'd left him: on the floor in front of the couch. He had one knee up, an improvement since the morning.

"Hi, Bobby," Alex said. She walked past him to set her things down in the kitchen.

She was unbuttoning her wet coat when she heard him call, "Something wrong?"

She could see he was craning his neck as best he could, trying to get a look at her. Alex stepped closer so he could make eye contact. "Just a little wet, that's all." She got her coat off and draped it over a kitchen chair. Then she went to Bobby's side, sitting cross-legged beside him.

He raised his hand to her dripping hair. "You're drenched."

"It's coming down."

The tips of Bobby's fingers touched the back of her neck and he tugged her gently until she bent over. She kissed him. "How are you doing?"

Bobby lowered his leg back to the floor, wincing as he did so. "It's bad," he said.

"Still, you put your leg up. That's good."

"If you say so." He sighed and closed his eyes.

"So how are we going to do this?"

"What?"

"Eat."

"I'll have to get up."

"Can you?"

"Yeah. I did it a couple of times today. Besides, the back of my head keeps going numb."

She gave him a sympathetic smile and crawled out of the way while he rolled over and struggled to get stiffly to his feet. He walked very slowly to the kitchen, took one look at the table, and said, "I'll eat at the counter, here."

She retrieved his food from the bag and set it in front of him. While he opened the Styrofoam container, she pulled a fork out of the drawer and handed it over. "What do you want to drink?"

"Beer."

"Pain relievers, Bobby."

"Oh, fine. Give me a diet soda."

She got two cans out of the fridge and popped one open for him.

"How was the squad."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes.

Bobby raised an eyebrow.

"You'd think we'd just run naked through the holding area or something. Winters keeps looking at me sideways, I swear I caught Jeffries making some kind of bet with Swanson about us, and Hannah is doing his best to hide in his office and pretend he doesn't know. He sends you his best, by the way."

"Who?"

"Hannah."

"Oh. That's nice." Bobby was so hungry he was talking with his mouth full.

Alex took a bite of her own food and glanced around his kitchen. "Did you eat today?"

Bobby stuffed his mouth and pretended he couldn't answer.

"Bobby!" She admonished him.

He almost choked, coughed a little, and swallowed. "Too much trouble, you know?"

"You said you got up a couple of times."

"Yeah, but going to the john is a little different than conjuring up a meal, you know."

She frowned at him. "I'll call in tomorrow."

"No, no, no, Eames! You can't."

"You need help."

"I'm fine. Besides, all you will do is feed the rumors."

"Bobby… I don't care about them. I care about you." She stepped forward, took his hand, and leaned in to kiss his whiskered jaw. "I love you."

He turned his head slightly and touched his lips to hers. "Yeah, that's what got us into this mess in the first place." He grinned, and she smacked his arm.

"Don't make me feel any worse," she said.

He grinned again. "C'mere."

She did as he asked, and he kissed her again, as passionately as he could manage before the pain made him freeze like a stone.

"Bobby?"

"It's okay," he said through gritted teeth. "Just… zigged when I should have zagged." He remained still a moment longer, and then finished his dinner.

Alex helped him settle back on the floor. She played a game of cards with him to keep his mind off his predicament.

* * *

"Yeah, Mike, this is Jamie."

"Whattaya got, Jamie?"

"Her car's a block away from his place. Been there three hours already. His lights went off in the apartment 20 minutes ago. I ain't seen her yet."

Logan grinned. "Good work Jamie. You keep your eyes peeled, okay?"

"You got it, boss."

* * *

Jamie Rackowski was a 23 year old college dropout who had literally fallen into Mike Logan's lap. The kid was on the fringes of something dangerous, and Mike managed to help him get out of it. Now, he did odd jobs for Logan. Honestly, he wanted to work for him full time, but the Logan Investigative Services weren't flush yet, and Mike couldn't afford a full-time employee. So Jamie worked odd jobs, trying his best to master the trade so he could someday partner up with his boss.

He'd done everything he'd been told to do. He brought food and water, and a big cup with a lid in case he had to relieve himself. He'd remembered the camera with two different lenses, a spare memory card and back up batteries. He even remembered the binoculars and the caffeine pills to keep him from nodding off on the job.

But it had been 12 hours. His piss-cup was full, and he had to go again. Jamie had to figure out something. Just his luck, the rain had stopped six hours ago. There were no more puddles or running gutters to dilute it if he poured it out. He glanced at his surroundings again. There was an alley between Goren's building and the next. He could be in and out and no one would be the wiser for it.

After another moment's indecision, Jamie pulled the handle for the door. He locked it tight and hurried over to the alley with the cup in hand. He removed the lid and poured out the contents.

A cat screeched and raced between his legs, scaring the wits out of him. Jamie dropped the lid. It rolled and slipped in between the iron of a grate. The lid fell into the black pit below the alley, never to be seen again.

"Shit," the young man mumbled.

Just as he fingered the top button of his jeans, a police car moved slowly by. Jamie paused. He was on a stakeout. He didn't need to get himself arrested for pissing in an alley.

He looked down at the cup. Maybe, if he was very careful, he could manage. He walked back to the car and got in, making use of the cup once again.

* * *

"Jamie, I've been waiting."

"You and me both, boss."

"What's that supposed to mean? Nothing?"

"Nothing. If she's in there, she must be planning to stay for good."

"Her car?"

"Still there, boss."

Mike Logan frowned. He knew the kid was exhausted, but he also knew he couldn't risk doing the surveillance himself. Eames would recognize him for sure.

"Boss?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"I'm beat."

"I know. All right, look. Can you hang in there for another hour? If there's no action by then, we'll call it quits."

Jamie yawned. "Okay, boss."

* * *

An hour later, Jamie pulled into morning traffic. A yellow cab cut him off and he had to slam on the brakes to avoid being hit. The contents of the cup splashed all over the dash and the console. "Shit!" the young man said again.

* * *

"Jamie?"

The kid rubbed his eyes and tried to play dumb.

"What's this…?" Mike leaned into the open driver's side of the car and his nose wrinkled. "Is this… _piss?! In my car?!"_

Jamie couldn't pretend anymore. "I can explain!" he cried, holding his hands up.

Logan was beyond furious. He cussed and stomped and demanded the boy clean the car.

After being chewed up one side and down the other, Jamie, with shaking hands, started cleaning.

* * *

"Logan, what the hell is taking so long?"

"Look, Winters, I didn't know there was a Goddamn deadline on this job. I'm making progress, all right?"

"I want answers, not progress."

"You'll have your answers as soon as I do." Logan hung up the phone. He scratched his messy hair and glanced at the kid asleep on the couch in his apartment. The car was clean, and they'd had a good laugh over the incident already. Now Mike wanted to cut him a break.

He thought long and hard, and then decided to do at least one shift himself. He donned a fake mustache and beard, sunglasses, a straw cowboy hat, and left the kid a note.

He parked three car lengths away from the entrance to Goren's building. Mike leaned the front seat back and pretended to read the paper.

Eames' car was still parked a block away. Maybe the break in surveillance hadn't hurt them after all.

* * *

"Bobby, didn't Mike Logan used to drive a Saturn?"

"Yeah. A kinda gray one, I think."

"There's one in front of your building." Alex held the curtains back as she looked at the car.

"Eames, there are a hundred thousand Saturns in Brooklyn."

"Yeah, I know, but every time I see this one, it's occupied. And parked."

Goren shifted, causing a flash of pain to course through his back. He grunted.

"You don't think Mike would be checking up on us, would he?"

"L-logan? W-w-why?"

Alex rolled her eyes as she turned to stare at the big man on the floor. "Because the whole damned force is trying to figure out if we slept together, Bobby!"

"Oh, c'mon, Eames, it can't be that big of a deal. Besides. We didn't."

"Technicality, Goren."

"It would get me through a lie detector."

Alex shook her head. "It wouldn't me."

"Well, you just have to take some time to get used to the idea."

Alex dropped her head and rubbed her temples. "I can't believe this. Any of it."

"Yeah, well, I'm not too thrilled with how things worked out, either."

Alex threw him a look, then went back to studying the car on the street below. Abruptly, she turned, grabbing her jacket.

"Alex?"

"I'm going down there. I need a closer look."

"W-wait! You don't know what's going on down there! I c-c-can't back you up!"

"I'll be fine, Goren." She grabbed the key to his apartment and stuck it in her jeans pocket. She threw on her coat. Then, to ease his mind, she picked up her Glock and stuck it in her coat pocket. She squatted down and kissed him. "Be right back."

* * *

Bobby's phone rang. He stretched his fingers, trying to reach it. He caught it between the second and third rings. Bobby stared at the ceiling as he spoke. "Yeah?"

"It is him," Alex said. "He's wearing some ridiculous outfit, but it's him."

"Logan."

"Yes, Bobby, it's Logan! I'm going to get to the bottom of this."

"W-w-wait, Eames."

She stopped walking. "Why?"

"What if you're wrong, huh?"

"I'm not wrong, Bobby."

"What if you're right, then? What are you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna find out why he's here, and if it's to spy on us, Bobby, I'm gonna rip off his damned balls and feed them to the sewer rats."

Bobby winced at her description. "Y-you don't have to go that far," he said.

"Why the hell not?"

"Just bring Logan up here. I'll get the truth out of him."

"Right." Alex ended the call, dropped her phone into her pocket and stormed down the street.

Logan saw her before she was at his door. He rolled down the window. "I know what you're gonna say," he said.

"Logan?! You'd better have a good explanation, or I swear-!"

"I'm on the job, Sweetheart—"

"Don't you Sweetheart me, you little bastard."

"Look, Alex, get in."

She folded her arms and looked up and down the street. After a moment, she circled around to the passenger side and opened the door. "Is this some kind of trick?"

"What?"

"Your car smells like piss, Logan."

He groaned. "Long story. Just—we need to talk, okay?"

"Damn right we need to talk. Get out. We're going upstairs."

"Upstairs? I thought Goren was—"

"Goren wants to hear your explanation as badly as I do. Now get out."

Logan sighed. He tossed the hat onto the passenger seat. Then he groaned and got out of the car, locking it before following her into the building. She was angry as hell. Her body language was practically shouting it.

She pulled out a key and very comfortably unlocked Bobby's apartment door. Mike noticed, but didn't say a word.

"Oh, good, you're still walking," Goren's voice drifted up from the floor.

Mike looked around until he saw the big detective's feet. Then he scanned his eyes up to Goren's face. At least that part of the story was true. Goren was down for the count. "Bobby."

"Hello, Mike."

Eames slipped her tiny feet between Goren and the couch and slid over to sit closer to her partner. Mike reached down and slid the coffee table closer to the tv so he could see them both when he sat in the easy chair.

"Why are you watching us, Logan?" Alex demanded.

"Look, Alex, I can't…"

"You're working?" Goren inquired, his voice calm and almost friendly.

Mike could feel the burn in his cheeks as he blushed. He raked his hand through his hair. "Look, all right, yeah. You know I wouldn't give a damn about this either way."

"For who?!" Alex's voice was tight with anger.

"I can't tell you that!"

Alex almost stood, but Bobby's hand covered her shin. She looked his way, and his quiet eyes told her to settle down.

"Well, what do you want to know?" Goren asked.

"First off, how the hell you got hurt. Secondly, if you and Eames have a… a thing, you know."

"That's all?"

"Yeah, that's it."

"Is this… person that hired you… someone in authority?" Goren asked.

Alex turned her head in alarm. Was he actually considering telling Mike?! "Bobby, no!"

He looked over at her. "You said yourself you were uncomfortable with all the rumors. I'll just tell the truth, nothing more."

Alex frowned, but she didn't protest.

"I fell out of bed."

"I heard that one," Logan said. "But I think there's more to it. Why Eames was with you when you fell out of bed, for one thing."

"It's nobody's damned business why I was with him!" Eames cried out, and her shoe tapped against Bobby's side. He gently pushed her foot back with his hand.

"She brought me home. It was raining, and I invited her in."

"And you went to bed while she was twiddling her thumbs in the living room?" Mike shook his head at them both.

"No, I… I seduced her." Alex gasped. She couldn't believe Bobby was telling Logan any of this. She listened angrily for a moment, then decided her only recourse was to play along.

"And he took me places no woman has ever been, Logan. Best I ever had. And just as I was about to return the favor, he slipped off the edge of the bed and that was that."

Bobby looked over at her and slight blush colored his cheeks as he grinned.

"Ah, you're playing me," Logan complained. Between Goren's calm confession and Eames' sarcastic details, he couldn't pinpoint the truth.

"How old are you, Mike?" Bobby asked.

"Fifty-two. Why?"

"You still… as active with the ladies as you used to be?"

Mike's mind shot back to his encounter with Jill the day before. "I like to think so, yeah."

"But really, think about it. You do everything like you used to?"

Alex sighed in complaint. "Bobby, I really don't want to hear about Logan's sex life."

Bobby smiled at her, but continued the questioning. "Or do you find yourself… you know, pleasing her in other ways because it's just… too draining to give it all…"

Again, Mike thought of Jill. Goren was exactly right. He had given her what she wanted without ever unzipping his pants. And come to think of it, the last three women before that, too. Mike's cheeks burned and he looked away. "What's that got to do with anything, eh?"

"Look, Logan. You know I've been alone for… for a long time." He paused until Mike's eyes met his again. Bobby wrapped his hand around Alex's calf, massaging her muscle gently with his fingers. "I… got carried away. Thought I was in my 20's again."

"You didn't fall off the bed, did you?"

Bobby didn't answer. He rolled to his side and slowly got to his feet with a gentle prod from Alex's helpful hands.

"Look, you go back to your client and tell them whatever you want. The truth is, I'm not as young as I used to be. I guess this is why old men shouldn't fall in love."

"Bobby…" Alex reached up and held his hand with hers.

"But I don't regret it. I don't." Bobby squeezed Alex's hand and limped away to the bathroom.

She stared at Logan. "I'd still like to know who you're working for."

Logan shook his head and sighed. "Okay, look. You want everybody off your back, you gotta help me make this make sense."

"We didn't sleep together. That's the truth," she offered with a grin.

"Yeah, but everyone's gonna have the same question as me. Why was he in the bed while you were over if you weren't supposedly doing anything?"

Alex thought for a moment. "He was changing. He wore one of his suits that day, and he was changing clothes to get more comfortable."

"All right, that sounds reasonable."

"How much are they paying you?"

His eyes met hers. "It's uh… clearing an old debt for me. Five hundred bucks."

"And you're willing to lie about it?"

"Look, I don't like it, okay? But you and Goren… you were always my friends, you know? I don't like anything about this job, honestly."

"Why does your car smell like piss?"

Mike was thrown by her sudden question. He thought of Jamie. He was a good kid, just a little green. "Neighbor's cat. I left the window down and he got in."

"You left your window down."

"Yeah."

"It's been raining every day for the last two weeks, Mike."

"Maybe I don't want to tell you."

"Well, today's the day for…" she looked up as Bobby walked back in, "… exposing the truth. Let's hear it."

Goren remained standing, pacing gently to loosen his tight muscles.

Logan told the story about Jamie's stakeout, and his old friends shared a laugh. "He's a good kid, though, don't get me wrong." Mike scratched his shoulder and straightened his t-shirt. "Soon as this is over I'm taking the thing to get detailed."

He gave them both an uncomfortable smile. "So Bobby was changing clothes and you were…"

"In the kitchen looking for the corkscrew."

"Sounds good." Mike scratched his chin. "And he sat down to…"

"To pull my jeans over my feet and the cell phone rang and when I twisted to get it I slipped."

"You've got a record of the call?"

"Sure," Goren said. He glanced over at Eames. Lewis had called while they were making love, but they had ignored it. She smiled at Bobby.

"And then he fell on the floor and then what? Called for help?"

This part was painfully true. "I couldn't move, it hurt so bad. She helped me get my pants on. Somehow she got me to Urgent Care."

"He was trying to pretend it wasn't that bad," Alex explained. "He probably hurt himself worse in the process."

"Okay, so… I think that will satisfy… my client. Thank you, and I'll just… get out of your hair." He got up and shook Goren's hand. Then he offered his hand to Eames, who stood and pulled him toward the door.

"I'll walk you out," she said. Once they were in the street, she turned to face him. "Look, Logan, if you ever tell a soul about us, I'll—"

"Don't worry, Eames. I'd rather keep my parts in working order, even if I don't use them much anymore." He surprised her with a quick kiss on the cheek. "Tell him to be more careful next time. I'll see you around."

Alex stood smiling at him as she watched him climb into his car and drive away. It started to sprinkle just as she headed back inside.

Bobby was sitting at a kitchen chair when she returned. Alex grinned at him. "You're getting better?"

"I think so," he said. He reached out his hand, and she gave him hers.

"I wish you hadn't told him."

"You can trust Logan. He's all right."

She nodded, and he eased her down to sit in his lap. Bobby kissed her. "I don't regret it, you know," he whispered.

Alex was moved by his honesty. "When you're good as new, I'll make it up to you." She kissed him deeply, until he winced. She climbed off his lap and helped him go back to his spot on the floor.

* * *

Winters eyed Logan suspiciously. "Changing clothes. Really."

"Sometimes you don't find what you're looking for," Mike said with a shrug. "But they didn't sleep together, that's the truth of it."

Winters sighed. "All right, all right. Thanks for nothing."

"Hey, Winters." Mike handed him a bill.

"What's this?"

"I owed you $500. The expenses went over by $160. But you're in luck," Mike said with a smile. "I take credit cards."

Winters looked over the expense report with a scowl. Reluctantly, he pulled out his credit card.

Mike smiled. At least Jamie had learned to keep his receipts. He decided to take the kid out for a drink.

* * *

A/N Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave me reviews!


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